Crop Gene Pools Research Articles

Fostering in situ conservation of wild relatives of forage crops.

Most plant conservation strategies generally overlook the intra-specific genetic diversity of crop gene pools. Focusing on forage crops and their wild relatives, we present a novel approach to address the conservation of these species on meadows. Two-thirds of Swiss agricultural land is green land, mostly used for forage purposes, and their genetic diversity is being threatened. We focused here on eight plant associations gathering at least 18 taxa considered priority crop wild relatives of forage crops. Since 2020, about 1,217 high-quality surfaces (representing 1,566 hectares) nationwide have been integrated into an innovative auction-based policy instrument dedicated to conserving these populations. Here, we report the benefits and hurdles of implementing this bottom-up approach and try to estimate the quality of conservation of the forage plants' CWR gene pool. Although we focus on the Swiss case, our approach to in situ conservation offers opportunities to effectively guide conservation in other contexts. We also discuss possible ways to improve CWR conservation policy, particularly the need to better consider the populations and habitat levels.

ИССЛЕДОВАНИЕ ФЕНОТИПИЧЕСКИХ И ГЕНЕТИЧЕСКИХ ПРИЗНАКОВ ОТЕЧЕСТВЕННЫХ СОРТОВ ЧЕРЕШНИ

One of the tasks in the research of the gene pool of fruit crops is a systematic phenotypic assessment of samples in collections and the study of their genetic diversity. To date, traditional methods of varietal study and DNA marking are used for this purpose, which make it possible to identify donors and sources for breeding and promising varieties for industrial cultivation. The aim of the research was a comprehensive phenotypic and genotypic evaluation of varieties and hybrids of sweet cherries of domestic breeding. A long-term phenotypic assessment, carried out against the background of unstable and stressful conditions of the growing year, made it possible to identify more plastic varieties of sweet cherries Kavkazskaya uluchshennaya, Kavkazskaya, Podarok leta, combining the signs of winter hardiness, drought resistance, resistance to coccomycosis, and productivity. Simultaneous assessment of sweet cherry varieties of local breeding based on the analysis of polymorphism of microsatellite loci made it possible to establish genetic characteristics and perform DNA certification. To analyze the polymorphism of the studied genotypes, we used 7 SSR loci that were first identified and mapped in the sweet cherry genome (Alaya, Madonna, Kavkazskaya, Kavkazskaya uluchshennaya, Krasna devitsa, Mak, Podarok leta, Yasno solnyshko, Luchezarnaya, Yuzhnaya). Analysis of the obtained DNA fingerprints made it possible to establish that all the studied varieties of sweet cherries have a unique allelic set. For DNA certification of cherry varieties, the most polymorphic SSR markers are recommended: EMPa018, EMPaS12, EMPa017, EMPa004, UCDCH17, UCDCH12 and UCDCH31. Sweet cherry varieties Madonna (early), Podarok leta (middle) and Alaya (late) have been identified as sources of a complex of adaptive and productive traits recommended for further breeding work, as well as varieties that are for laying new cherry plantations in the south of the country.

Pleistocene-dated genomic divergence of avocado trees supports cryptic diversity in the Colombian germplasm

Genomic characterization of ex situ plant collections optimizes the utilization of genetic resources by identifying redundancies among accessions, capturing cryptic variation, establishing reference collections, and ultimately assisting pre-breeding and breeding efforts. Yet, the integration of evolutionary genomic analyses is often lacking when studying the biodiversity of crop gene pools. Such is the case in the avocado, Persea americana Mill., an iconic American fruit tree crop that has seen an unprecedented expansion worldwide because of its nutritional properties. However, given a very restricted number of commercial clones, avocado plantations are becoming more vulnerable to diseases and climate change. Therefore, exploring new sources of evolutionary novelty and genetic diversity beyond the commercial varieties derived from traditional genetic pools in Mexico and Central America is imperative. To fill this gap, we aimed to characterize the genomic diversity of Colombian avocado trees. Specifically, we constructed reduced representation genomic libraries to genotype by sequencing 144 accessions from the Colombian National genebank and 240 materials from local commercial orchards in the Colombian northwest Andes. We merged the resulting reads with available sequences of reference genotypes from known avocado groups (also named as races), Mexican, Guatemalan, and West Indian, to discover 4931 SNPs. We then analyzed the population structure and phylogenetic diversity, and reconstructed evolutionary scenarios, possibly leading to new genetic groups in Colombian germplasm. We detected demographic stratification despite evidence of intergroup gene flow. Besides the classical three avocado groups, we found an exclusive Colombian group with a possible genetic substructure related to the geographical origin (Andean and Caribbean). Phylogenetic and ABC demographic modeling suggested that the Colombian group evolved in the Pleistocene before human agriculture started, and its closest relative from the three recognized races would be the West Indian group. We conclude that northwest South America offers a cryptic source of allelic novelty capable of boosting avocado pre-breeding strategies to select rootstock candidates well adapted to specific eco-geographical regions in Colombia and abroad.

Improved pearl millet genomes representing the global heterotic pool offer a framework for molecular breeding applications

High-quality reference genome assemblies, representative of global heterotic patterns, offer an ideal platform to accurately characterize and utilize genetic variation in the primary gene pool of hybrid crops. Here we report three platinum grade de-novo, near gap-free, chromosome-level reference genome assemblies from the active breeding germplasm in pearl millet with a high degree of contiguity, completeness, and accuracy. An improved Tift genome (Tift23D2B1-P1-P5) assembly has a contig N50 ~ 7,000-fold (126 Mb) compared to the previous version and better alignment in centromeric regions. Comparative genome analyses of these three lines clearly demonstrate a high level of collinearity and multiple structural variations, including inversions greater than 1 Mb. Differential genes in improved Tift genome are enriched for serine O-acetyltransferase and glycerol-3-phosphate metabolic process which play an important role in improving the nutritional quality of seed protein and disease resistance in plants, respectively. Multiple marker-trait associations are identified for a range of agronomic traits, including grain yield through genome-wide association study. Improved genome assemblies and marker resources developed in this study provide a comprehensive framework/platform for future applications such as marker-assisted selection of mono/oligogenic traits as well as whole-genome prediction and haplotype-based breeding of complex traits.

Conservation of crop wild relative diversity in Northeast Africa: Checklist and prioritization

AbstractCrop wild relatives (CWR) are an important source of genetic diversity useful for crop improvement. This study was conducted to create both a checklist and a priority inventory of CWR in Northeast Africa. A partial CWR regional checklist was obtained by combining the floras of Djibouti, Ethiopia and Eritrea, Somalia, South Sudan, and Sudan for priority crop genera. It includes 1020 taxa belonging to 39 families and 130 genera, and about 80% of these taxa are native. The families with the highest number of CWR were the Poaceae (334) and Fabaceae (202). The checklist was then prioritized based on the social and economic value of the related crops using the Food and Agriculture Organization Corporate Statistical Database and the potential use of CWR for crop improvement using the crop gene pool or taxon group concepts. These criteria were applied to the checklist via a serial method to generate a prioritized inventory of 97 CWR taxa belonging to 19 families and 44 genera. Forty‐three percent of these taxa occur in more than two countries and additionally 32% in Eritrea and Ethiopia, 18% in Sudan and South Sudan, and 7% in Somalia. For crop improvement, 20% of the taxa have confirmed uses, 23% have recorded potential uses, and 28% have both confirmed and potential uses. This prioritized list includes important CWR taxa related to regionally important food crops such as sorghum and teff, as well as providing a foundation for further conservation studies by conservationists and breeders in this region and worldwide.

Moth bean (Vigna aconitifolia): a minor legume with major potential to address global agricultural challenges.

Moth bean (Vigna aconitifolia) is an orphan legume of Vigna genus, exhibiting wide adaptability and has the potential to grow well in arid and semi-arid areas, predominantly across different eco-geographical regions of Asia, particularly the Indian subcontinent. The inherent adaptive attributes of this crop have made it more tolerant towards a diverse array of abiotic and biotic stresses that commonly restrain yield among other Vigna species. Additionally, the legume is recognized for its superior nutritional quality owing to its high protein content as well as amino acid, mineral and vitamin profile and is utilized as both food and fodder. Moth bean can play a vital role in sustaining food grain production, enhancing nutritional security as well as provide a source of income to resource-poor farmers amid rise in global temperatures and frequent drought occurrences, particularly in rain-fed cropping systems which accounts for about 80% of the world's cultivated land. However, this minor legume has remained underutilized due to over-exploitation of major staple crops. With the exception of a few studies involving conventional breeding techniques, crop improvement in moth bean for traits such as late maturity, indeterminate growth habit, shattering and anti-nutritional factors has not garnered a lot of attention. Recent advances in sequencing technologies, modern breeding approaches and precision phenotyping tools, in combination with the available crop gene pool diversity in gene banks, can accelerate crop improvement in moth bean and lead to the development of improved cultivars. Considering the recent surge in awareness about the development of climate-smart crops for sustainable agricultural future, collective effort towards effective utilization of this hardy, neglected legume is the need of the hour.

Evolutionary dynamics and adaptive benefits of deleterious mutations in crop gene pools.

Mutations with deleterious consequences in nature may be conditionally deleterious in crop plants. That is, while some genetic variants may reduce fitness under wild conditions and be subject to purifying selection, they can be under positive selection in domesticates. Such deleterious alleles can be plant breeding targets, particularly for complex traits. The difficulty of distinguishing favorable from unfavorable variants reduces the power of selection, while favorable trait variation and heterosis may be attributable to deleterious alleles. Here, we review the roles of deleterious mutations in crop breeding and discuss how they can be used as a new avenue for crop improvement with emerging genomic tools, including HapMaps and pangenome analysis, aiding the identification, removal, or exploitation of deleterious mutations.

Efficiency of use of the modern gene pool in the production of cereals and legumes

The authors in the article provided data on the use of different varieties and hybrids of cereals and legumes. The experiments were carried out in the forest steppe of the Novosibirsk Priobya region in 2020–2022. The studies were conducted on the leached chernozem of the Praktik EEF (Educational and Experimental Farm) of the Novosibirsk Region and CJSC Livestock Breeding Farm Irmen of the Ordynsky District Novosibirsk Region. Also, the authors conducted experiments in the steppe zone on the southern chernozem of Nadezhda LLC of the Bagansky district and on grey forest medium loamy soil of the Education and Production Farm (EPF) “Garden of Michurintsev” in Novosibirsk. The research aims to study the efficiency of using the modern gene pool of grain and leguminous crops in different zones of Western Siberia. The authors found that West Siberian selection soybean varieties had higher growth and development rates than the Doka standard for 4-6 days. During studies with F1 hybrids of corn, the authors also note increased indicators of biometric parameters: plant height, green mass, and cob weight - by 20% of the Ross 140 F1 standard. High yield parameters of corn grain on the leached chernozem of the forest-steppe zone (EEF Praktik) of hybrids Ross 199 F1 - 10.2, KS-178 F1 and Krasnodar 194 F1 - 9.79 t/ha were revealed, exceeding the Ross 140 F1 standard by 40– 47%. Corn grains of hybrids F1 Ross 199 - 6.03 t/ha, Krasnodar 194 - 5.67 and KS-178 - 5.52 t/ha differed in yield with an excess of the standard by 54% on the southern chernozem of the steppe zone of Nadezhda LLC The maximum yield of corn grain is in the hybrid F1 Kuban 101 and Katerina - at 9 t/ha on the leached chernozem of CJSC Irmen stud farm. The maximum yield of soybean grain is 3.44 t/ha for SibNIIK-9 and Gorinskaya on leached chernozem, which is higher than the standard for Doka by 67 and 57%. SibNIIK-9, Omskaya 4, and Gorinskaya were distinguished on grey forest medium loamy soil. The variety of the Far Eastern selection Alena and the early ripening varieties of the RRIO collection (All-Russian Research Institute of Oilseeds, named after V. S. Pustovoit, Krasnodar): Barguzin, Lira, Sonata, and Puma, had a developed above-ground mass and low grain productivity. It was statistically determined that the genotype determined the yield of corn grain by 39%, conditions of the year - by 25%, and interaction of factors - by 20%. In experiments with soybean on leached and southern chernozem, the grain yield depended on the genotype by 42%, the conditions of the year - by 27% and the interaction of factors - by 16%, on grey forest medium loamy soil, respectively, 47; 30 and 22%.

Varieties and antioxidant indices of red currant of Chelyabinsk breeding in the conditions of the Middle Urals

The unique scientific installation of the collection of live plants in the open ground "Gene pool of fruit, berry and ornamental crops in the Middle Urals" at the Sverdlovsk Breeding Station of Horticulture has about 2 thousand varieties and 80 thousand hybrids of fruit and berry crops, of which 45 varieties are red currant. The article presents the results of study of 10 red currant varieties of the South-Ural Scientific Research Institute of Horticulture and Potatoes in the conditions of the Sverdlovsk Region (Middle Urals). The prevailing weather conditions during the research period (2019-2022) affected the timing of the passage of the phenological phases of red currant varieties. In 2019 the beginning of bud break was noted from the 20th of April to the 25th of April, the beginning of flowering ‒ from the 5th of May to the 20th of May. In 2020-2021, the beginning of bud break was observed from April, 18th to April, 25th; the beginning of flowering ‒ from May, 8th to May, 13th. The beginning of ripening of berries in 2020 fell on the period from July, 14th to July, 16th; in 2021 ‒ from July, 6th to July, 8th. In 2022, the beginning of bud break was recorded from April, 26th to May, 1st, the beginning of flowering ‒ from May, 16th to May, 18th, the beginning of ripening ‒ from July, 16th to July, 18th. The shift in the dates of the onset of the main phases of vegetation can reach 10 days from the average long-term values. Preliminary results of a collection study of varieties of Chelyabinsk breeding have been obtained. On average, over 3 years of fruiting, the highest productivity was noted on the varieties Jota and Ogni Urala ‒ 1.07 kg/bush. The highest mass of berries was noted in the varieties Kapitalina, Jota, Il'inka, Beta: average ‒ 0.6...0.7 g, maximum ‒ 1.0...2.0 g. The varieties Jota, Al'fa, Alaya zor'ka, Kapitalina, Luchezarnaya, Beta, Epsilon differed in dessert taste. The highest content of antioxidants in red currant berries was found in varieties Luchezarnaya, Il'inka, Epsilon ‒ 10.99…12.65 mmol/dm3 eq.

Heat stress tolerance in peas (Pisum sativum L.): Current status and way forward.

In the era of climate change, the overall productivity of pea (Pisum sativum L.) is being threatened by several abiotic stresses including heat stress (HS). HS causes severe yield losses by adversely affecting several traits in peas. A reduction in pod yield has been reported from 11.1% to 17.5% when mean daily temperature increase from 1.4 to 2.2°C. High-temperature stress (30.5-33°C) especially during reproductive phase is known to drastically reduce both seed yield and germination. HS during germination and early vegetative stage resulted in poor emergence and stunted plant growth along with detrimental effects on physiological functions of the pea plant. To combat HS and continue its life cycle, plants use various defense strategies including heat escape, avoidance or tolerance mechanisms. Ironically, the threshold temperatures for pea plant and its responses are inconsistent and not yet clearly identified. Trait discovery through traditional breeding such as semi leaflessness (afila), upright growing habit, lodging tolerance, lower canopy temperature and small seeded nature has highlighted their utility for greater adaptation under HS in pea. Screening of crop gene pool and landraces for HS tolerance in a targeted environment is a simple approach to identify HS tolerant genotypes. Thus, precise phenotyping using modern phenomics tools could lead to increased breeding efficiency. The NGS (next generation sequencing) data can be associated to find the candidate genes responsible for the HS tolerance in pea. In addition, genomic selection, genome wide association studies (GWAS) and marker assisted selection (MAS) can be used for the development of HS tolerant pea genotypes. Additionally, development of transgenics could be an alternative strategy for the development of HS tolerant pea genotypes. This review comprehensively covers the various aspects of HS tolerance mechanisms in the pea plant, screening protocols, omic advances, and future challenges for the development of HS tolerant genotypes.

Genetic analysis and identification of QTLs associated with yield-enhancing traits in Oryza sativa IR64 × Oryza glaberrima interspecific backcross populations

Context Broadening the gene pool of staple food crops by incorporating desirable genes from wild/relative species is way to achieve higher genetic gains. The African rice species Oryza glaberrima Steud. is a source of genes for genetic improvement of Oryza sativa L. to various biotic and abiotic stresses. Aim The study was undertaken to identify genomic regions associated with yield and yield-related traits in interspecific backcross mapping populations derived from variety IR64 (O. sativa indica) × O. glaberrima. Methods The BC1F2 and BC1F2:3 populations were phenotyped for days to 50% flowering, plant height, number of tillers, number of productive tillers, panicle length, spikelet fertility and grain yield under irrigated conditions. The BC1F2 population was genotyped with 99 genome-wide polymorphic SSR markers. Quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with yield-enhancing traits were identified through single marker analysis. Key results Significant genetic variability was observed with moderate to high heritability in mapping populations. Genotyping revealed the presence of segregation distortion and skewed genome composition. Single marker analysis identified 20 QTLs linked to the studied traits. A QTL linked to grain yield, qGY-4.1, derived from O. glaberrima was found in both populations with high phenotypic variance. The chromosome region around marker RM510 was identified as a QTL hotspot and putative candidate genes were identified. Conclusions Our study demonstrates that O. glaberrima can serve as a valuable genetic resource for genetic improvement of yield-enhancing traits in O. sativa cultivars. Implications The identified QTLs regions can be employed in molecular breeding. The promising introgression lines identified can be used as pre-breeding lines in future breeding programs.

Fagopyrum esculentum Moench plants’ photosynthetic activity correlation with efficient grading factors

About 95% of dry matter of agricultural crops is known to be provided by photosynthesis of plants. At the same time, its potential is realized by less than half: the efficiency of use of PAR by crops is usually in the range of 0.9 -1.5%, at best it reaches 2%. Obviously, activation of photosynthetic activity of plants by means of breeding can be considered as one of the promising ways to increase crop yields. This task is also relevant for buckwheat, which is a demanded food crop in the world market. In this regard, the purpose of the research was to study the possibility of using in buckwheat breeding the indicators of photosynthetic activity of plants based on their relationship with useful - economic characteristics of the variety. The results of the correlation analysis showed that the indicators of photosynthetic activity of buckwheat plants have a significant impact on the formation of the variety yield. Significant relationship of cultivar yield was revealed with leaf area (r=0.71), water use efficiency (r=0.68), photosynthetic potential (r=0.66) and photosynthetic intensity (r=0.35). Similar character of interrelation of these indicators in crop varieties was traced with harvesting index. It was found that the relationship between the structural and functional indicators of the leaf system of plants and the yield of buckwheat varieties does not remain constant, and significantly changes during the growing season of plants. The high polymorphism of the crop gene pool in terms of photosynthetic activity of plants and their significant relationship with the yield of the variety indicate the possibility of targeted breeding work in this direction.

Особливості децентралізаційних перетворень на сільських територіях Західного Полісся: сучасний стан та ідентифікація проблем

Goal. To reveal the main milestones of the lifeand creative path, to summarize the most significantscientific achievements of a talented scientist inthe field of selection and seed-growing, one of theorganizers of the research work in Ukraine, doctorof agricultural sciences, professor, correspondentmember of the Ukrainian Academy of SciencesD.F. Lykhvar. Methods. General scientific —analysis, synthesis, classification; historical —problem-chronological, comparative-historical,retrospective, biographical. Results. It is provedthat D.F. Lykhvar contributed to the establishmentof leading industry scientific centers — the CentralRepublican Botanical Garden of the Academy ofSciences of the Ukrainian SSR, the Institute ofAgrobiology of the Academy of Sciences of theUkrainian SSR, the Institute of Agriculture andAnimal Husbandry of the Western Regions ofthe Ukrainian SSR, and the Ukrainian ResearchInstitute of Agriculture. The scientific heritage of thescientist, which consists of more than 200 scientificand popular science works, and author’s certificates,has been systematized. D.F. Lykhvar based on theexpansion of the gene pool of crops and the use ofmethods of genetic mutations brought a domesticselection to a new scientific level. Conclusions.The scientist revealed the ways of acclimatizationof fiber crops in Ukraine. Based on the study ofthe biology of hemp development, he obtained thefirst results that proved the possibility of obtainingsimultaneously maturing plants of this culture. It isproved that D.F. Lykhvar was one of the first in theUkrainian SSR to start research on the creation,study, and practical use of remontant self-pollinatedlines and hybrids of corn that had better grain andsilage quality and were capable of producing a higheconomic effect in production. The methodologicalachievements of the scientist in the field of primaryseed production of zoned and promising grain varietiesare summarized. The scientist proposed ascientifically based method of management, varietytesting, variety replacement, and variety renewalof tetraploid varieties of winter rye, improving themethod of winter wheat seed production.

Использование методов биометрии в исследовании чины посевной

Grass pea (Lathyrus sativus) is widely cultivated in arid conditions of southern countries for fodder and food purposes, and also as a green manure crop. The soil and climatic conditions of the Lower Volga region are quite favorable for the cultivation of the grass pea. This makes it possible to expand the area under crops to meet such goals of the food program as increasing the production of protein for food and feed purposes. The study of the breeding material of the grass pea makes it possible to supplement the gene pool of high-protein crops. The article presents the results of the use of biometric methods for assessing the gene pool of the grass pea. Statistical indicators of the sample, coefficients of variation of traits were identified, significant differences in the breeding material for the studied traits were noted. The yield of gross energy with seeds was determined: 16,66-33,51 GJ/ha. Keywords: GRASS PEA, LINE, PRODUCTIVITY, VARIATION, PROTEIN, SELECTION

Novel GBS-Based SNP Markers for Finger Millet and Their Use in Genetic Diversity Analyses.

Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn., commonly known as finger millet, is a multipurpose crop used for food and feed. Genomic tools are required for the characterization of crop gene pools and their genomics-led breeding. High-throughput sequencing-based characterization of finger millet germplasm representing diverse agro-ecologies was considered an effective method for determining its genetic diversity, thereby suggesting potential candidates for breeding. In this study, the genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) method was used to simultaneously identify novel single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers and genotype 288 finger millet accessions collected from Ethiopia and Zimbabwe. The accessions were characterized at individual and group levels using 5,226 bi-allelic SNPs, with a minimum allele frequency (MAF) of above 0.05, distributed across 2,500 scaffolds of the finger millet reference genome. The polymorphism information content (PIC) of the SNPs was 0.23 on average, and a quarter of them have PIC values over 0.32, making them highly informative. The grouping of the 288 accessions into seven populations based on geographic proximity and the potential for germplasm exchange revealed a narrow range of observed heterozygosity (Ho; 0.09–0.11) and expected heterozygosity (He) that ranged over twofold, from 0.11 to 0.26. Alleles unique to the different groups were also identified, which merit further investigation for their potential association with desirable traits. The analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed a highly significant genetic differentiation among groups of accessions classified based on the geographic region, country of origin, days to flowering, panicle type, and Al tolerance (p < 0.01). The high genetic differentiation between Ethiopian and Zimbabwean accessions was evident in the AMOVA, cluster, principal coordinate, and population structure analyses. The level of genetic diversity of finger millet accessions varies moderately among locations within Ethiopia, with accessions from the northern region having the lowest level. In the neighbor-joining cluster analysis, most of the improved cultivars included in this study were closely clustered, probably because they were developed using genetically less diverse germplasm and/or selected for similar traits, such as grain yield. The recombination of alleles via crossbreeding genetically distinct accessions from different regions of the two countries can potentially lead to the development of superior cultivars.

Чечевица как объект селекционной деятельности

In the Lower Volga region, there are quite favorable conditions for growing lentils, which makes it possible to expand the area under crops to solve the food program. The study of breeding material and the creation of new varieties of lentil makes it possible to form and supplement the gene pool of high-protein crops. A brief description of the breeding work with lentils in the Russian Research Institute for Sorghum and Maize “Rossorgo” as well as a description of the varieties obtained, included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements, is given. Keywords: LENTIL, VARIETY, YIELD, SEEDS, PROTEIN, SELECTION

Bioresource collection of flower crops in FRC SSC of RAS and its use in breeding research

The paper deals with topical issues of introduction and breeding research in the framework of import substitution in the floriculture industry. An extensive gene pool of flower crops has been mobilized at the Federal Research Centre the Subtropical Scientific Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Sochi). On the basis of the Centre’s collections, apart from scientific purposes of conserving biodiversity, researching plants resistance and adaptability, as well as developing methods for studying cultivar samples, etc., there are practical tasks of obtaining planting material and cut flowers, including off-season periods, and using them in various forms of floral decoration, which are being solved. Bioresource collections include 1,499 cultivar samples, of which 34.29 % are perennial herbaceous plants, 20.61 % are bulbous and bulbotuberiferous, 16.94 % are irises, 14.34 % are pelargoniums, 9.47 % are species of natural flora, 4.34 % are chrysanthemums. The collections are also the basis for conducting breeding research in order to create highly ornamental, original, environmentally resistant and productive cultivars in the Centre with different flowering periods. Over the past 10 years, 85 cultivars of flower crops have been created (including 36 pelargoniums, 15 freesias and anemones, 12 chrysanthemums, 4 gerberas, 2 primroses, 1 tulip). The obtained cultivars are highly ornamental and resistant to bio- and abiotic factors. Freesia, anemone and pelargonium cultivars registered in the State Register of Breeding Achievements of the Russian Federation belong only to the FRC SSC of RAS.

Vegetable crop breeding for increased antioxidant content is a promising direction for healthy food production

The article presents the directions and results of breeding work of FSBSI Federal Scientific Centre for Vegetable Growing for improved biochemical composition of vegetable crops. The gene pool of traditional and rare vegetable crops is evaluated by their antioxidant properties, the best samples with high content of dry matter, sugars, ascorbic acid, carotenoids, phenolic compounds, macro- and microelements are selected as the starting material for further breeding for improved biochemical composition. Especially valuable in this direction are cabbages, onions, pumpkins, nightshades, root crops, greens and low-spreading crops. It is shown that in recent years there has been considerable interest in the food use of seedlings of various vegetable crops. Scientists and breeders are increasingly turning to wild species as sources of new material to expand the genetic basis of crops to enhance their antioxidant status, adaptive potential and resistance to biotic stresses, such crops include chervil, ornamental onions, spicy-flavored crops and others. It is shown that breeding vegetable crops for improving the biochemical composition of fruits has great prospects, since the introduction into production of varieties and hybrids with high antioxidant status will increase their food and medicinal value without additional costs of irreplaceable energy sources and will serve as the basis for creating functional products. Functional foods should be obligatory on the market alongside traditional foods, as they can complement traditional ones by acting as a kind of medicinal or preventive remedy.

Molecular characterization and genetic diversity studies of Indian soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) cultivars using SSR markers

BackgroundThe genetic base of soybean cultivars in India has been reported to be extremely narrow, due to repeated use of few selected and elite genotypes as parents in the breeding programmes. This ultimately led to the reduction of genetic variability among existing soybean cultivars and stagnation in crop yield. Thus in order to enhance production and productivity of soybean, broadening of genetic base and exploring untapped valuable genetic diversity has become quite indispensable. This could be successfully accomplished through molecular characterization of soybean genotypes using various DNA based markers. Hence, an attempt was made to study the molecular divergence and relatedness among 29 genotypes of soybean using SSR markers.Methods and resultsA total of 35 SSR primers were deployed to study the genetic divergence among 29 genotypes of soybean. Among them, 14 primer pairs were found to be polymorphic producing a total of 34 polymorphic alleles; and the allele number for each locus ranged from two to four with an average of 2.43 alleles per primer pair. Polymorphic information content (PIC) values of SSRs ranged from 0.064 to 0.689 with an average of 0.331. The dendrogram constructed based on dissimilarity indices clustered the 29 genotypes into two major groups and four sub-groups. Similarly, principal coordinate analysis grouped the genotypes into four major groups that exactly corresponded to the clustering of genotypes among four sub-groups of dendrogram. Besides, the study has reported eight unique and two rare alleles that could be potentially utilized for genetic purity analysis and cultivar identification in soybean.ConclusionIn the present investigation, two major clusters were reported and grouping of large number of genotypes in each cluster indicated high degree of genetic resemblance and narrow genetic base among the genotypes used in the study. With respect to the primers used in the study, the values of PIC and other related parameters revealed that the selected SSR markers are moderately informative and could be potentially utilized for diversity analysis of soybean. The clustering pattern of dendrogram constructed based on SSR loci profile displayed good agreement with the cultivar’s pedigree information. High level of genetic similarity observed among the genotypes from the present study necessitates the inclusion of wild relatives, land races and traditional cultivars in future soybean breeding programmes to widen the crop gene pool. Thus, hybridization among diverse gene pool could result in more heterotic combinations ultimately enhancing genetic gain, crop yield and resistance to various stress factors.

Insight into the Prospects for Nanotechnology in Wheat Biofortification.

Simple SummaryWheat is a major crop consumed by a large population of the world. Hence, increasing its nutritional value can largely handle the malnutrition issues of the growing population. In the past few decades, different biofortification techniques including conventional breeding, transgenic approach, and agronomic biofortification have been largely employed for increasing the nutrient content in wheat grains. However, all of these techniques have their own drawbacks such as environmental hazards, long time requirement, reduced acceptability etc. Thus, nanobiofortification of wheat crop has gained interest as an efficient alternative strategy to achieve nutritional gains. However, there is still a long way forward to effectively utilize nanotechnology for wheat nutritional development. In this scenario, a review on the current advancement in wheat nanobiofortification is highly required so that the lacking points in this research area can be identified and accomplished. However, such a review article has been missing so far. This review describes the progress in the use of nanomaterials for wheat biofortification till date. It will help the scientific community to identify the lack in this research area and widely implement the nanotechnology to biofortify wheat crops.The deficiency of nutrients in food crops is a major issue affecting the health of human beings, mainly in underdeveloped areas. Despite the development in the methods of food fortification, several barriers such as lack of proper regulations and smaller public-private partnerships hinder its successful implementation in society. Consequently, genetic and agronomic biofortification has been suggested as the potential techniques for fortifying the nutrients in diets. However, the time-consuming nature and restricted available diversity in the targeted crop gene pool limit the benefits of genetic biofortification. In agronomic biofortification, organic fertilizers face the problem of prolonged duration of nutrients release and lesser content of minerals; while in inorganic fertilizers, the large-sized fertilizers (greater than 100 nm) suffer from volatilization and leaching losses. The application of nanotechnology in agriculture holds enormous potential to cope with these challenges. The utility of nanomaterials for wheat biofortification gains its importance by supplying the appropriate dose of fertilizer at the appropriate time diminishing the environmental concerns and smoothening the process of nutrient uptake and absorption. Wheat is a major crop whose nano-biofortification can largely handle the issue of malnutrition and nutrients deficiency in human beings. Though several research experiments have been conducted at small levels to see the effects of nano-biofortification on wheat plants, a review article providing an overview of such studies and summarizing the benefits and outcomes of wheat nano-biofortification is still lacking. Although a number of review articles are available on the role of nanotechnology in wheat crop, these are mostly focused on the role of nanoparticles in alleviating biotic and abiotic stress conditions in wheat. None of them focused on the prospects of nanotechnology for wheat biofortification. Hence, in this review for the first time, the current advancement in the employment of different nanotechnology-based approaches for wheat biofortification has been outlined. Different strategies including the supply of nano-based macro- and micronutrients that have shown promising results for wheat improvement have been discussed in detail. Understanding several aspects related to the safe usage of nanomaterials and their future perspectives may enhance their successful utilization in terms of economy and fulfillment of nutritional requirements following wheat nano-biofortification.